Category: Home Insurance

Home insurance can protect your home against various risks, ranging from bad weather to break-ins. Here are three risks that most homeowners’ policies cover if a house is damaged or destroyed.

1. Natural Disasters

One of the most important risks that home insurance can protect against is certain natural disasters. Should your home be damaged by severe weather or other disasters, your policy may pay to repair the damage.

In Winter Garden, FL, it’s especially important to make sure your policy includes coverage for high winds and hurricanes. We at Abney Insurance can help you find a policy that does.

You should also be aware that two potential disasters normally aren’t covered by standard homeowners policies. Both floods and earthquakes are excluded by most of these policies. If you need coverage for flooding, we can find a policy through the National Flood Insurance Program or private market. Coverage for earthquakes is also available but less commonly purchased in Winter Garden, FL.

2. Fire and Smoke Damage

A fire is a devastating event that can lead to a significant loss of property and life. Home insurance policies usually include coverage for damage caused by fire and smoke, providing funds for repair, replacement, and even temporary accommodation while your home is restored.
Loss of life, of course, falls under life insurance. We at Abney Insurance often recommend getting at least enough life coverage to pay your mortgage off (and likely more).

3. Theft and Vandalism

Theft and vandalism can occur unexpectedly, leading to substantial repair and replacement costs. Home insurance may help repair any damage done during a burglary and assist with replacing what’s stolen.

Secure Your Home with Confidence

Contact our agents today to ensure your home insurance covers the risks you need.

When buying a new house in Winter Garden, FL, one of the critical steps you will need to take is acquiring home insurance. Here’s a look at when in the home-buying process you’d likely do this.

When to Shop for Home Insurance

You can begin shopping for home insurance once you have a signed contract to purchase a house. You don’t have to start immediately, and might not if you’re more focused on a home inspection and survey. It’s important to not delay shopping for insurance too long, however.

Contacting an insurance agent with enough time before your closing date ensures that you’ll be able to shop around. Asking an agent to check policies for you is the easiest way to find the right coverages and premiums for your new house. It doesn’t take an agent too long to do this, but they may need a few days if there are specific questions or issues that arise (e.g. if the home was built using unusual construction methods).

If you’re still unsure when to start looking for insurance, consider contacting us at Abney Insurance once your property survey is ordered. This should be enough time to find a policy, is usually a lull in what needs to be done, and lets you first take care of the most pressing matters.

Get a Binder Before Closing

At closing, you’ll need to provide a “binder,” This is simply a document that shows you have insurance in place. It’s something your insurance agent can provide you with. While agents can get binders in a single day most of the time, plan on taking care of this several days before closing. That way, you’ll have some wiggle room in case something happens.

Have Questions? Consult With Us

If you’re purchasing a house in Winter Garden, FL, contact us at Abney Insurance. One of our agents will be happy to help you find insurance for your new house — and congratulations!

When you have home insurance, it’s a relief knowing that damage or loss to your home is covered. Filing a claim is easy when you work with your insurance representative at Abney Insurance serving Winter Garden, FL. Still, you can make the process of filing a home insurance claim even easier with these four tips for backing up your claim.

4 Tips to Back Up a Home Insurance Claim

1. Submit Receipts

Your insurance provider will want to give you accurate compensation for your loss or damage. Submitting original purchase receipts with your claim establishes value. Whenever you purchase anything that’s covered by your home insurance, keep the receipt. One great way to do this is to photograph the original receipt and file it in a dedicated folder on your PC or cloud storage folder.

2. Document With Photos

It’s helpful if you can submit photos that prove ownership, damage, or loss, too. For instance, when you have a kitchen remodel, photograph the new space, including sink fixtures, appliances, tile, and so on. Then, if something happens years later, you’ll have these photos available to show the original condition of your home.

3. Obtain 3rd Party Reports

If a loss included a burglary or something similar, be sure to get a copy of the police report. Submit this with your claim to help establish the details of the loss and a 3rd party’s objective backup.

4. Know Your Policy

When you get your home insurance policy, read through it carefully so you understand your coverage. You may have coverage for more than you realize. Also, the policy will explain in detail how to submit a claim and what to expect.

For more information and support for filing a home insurance claim, contact Abney Insurance serving Winter Garden, FL. We’re here to help.

The windows in your home can get damaged in a number of different ways. A child throwing a ball can hit the window, a rock can fly up and damage the window, or a potential thief can break the window attempting to break into your home. One of the questions that we at Abney Insurance, serving the greater Winter Garden, FL area, are often asked is whether broken windows are covered by home insurance policies. 

Are Broken Windows Covered By Home Insurance Policies?

Whether or not broken windows are covered by a home insurance policy depends on the specifics of the policy and the cause of the damage. In general, most standard home insurance policies provide coverage for broken windows if the damage is the result of a covered peril, such as a storm, vandalism, or a fallen tree limb.

However, if the window is broken due to wear and tear, neglect, or intentional damage, it may not be covered under the policy. Additionally, if the damage is caused by a flood or earthquake, which are typically excluded from standard home insurance policies, the broken window may not be covered.

Reach Out To Us!

Broken or damaged windows may be covered by home insurance policies if the window is broken or damaged by a covered event. Here at Abney Insurance, serving the greater Winter Garden, FL region, we are committed to helping you to understand your policy and what is and is not covered. If you have any questions about an existing policy or are looking to purchase a new home insurance policy, our team would love the opportunity to help you. Call us today to get started.

Home insurance protects your largest investment from a great many of the hazards that can befall it. While coinsurance covers everything, it can give you confidence your home is as safe as possible. At Abney Insurance, serving the greater Winter Garden, FL region, we are independent insurance agents and our team has the knowledge you require to make the correct choice when it comes to home insurance. 

Why create a home inventory?

If you ever need to file a claim for damages to your home, having an inventory can greatly facilitate the resolution of your claim. Your inventory will provide the information you need to tell what was lost. 

You can create a home inventory by using a pad and a pen. You will also need to bring along a camera or a cell phone. Begin in the room of your choice and list all the items in the room. Open any drawers or closets and make a list of what is inside. Give as much detail as possible, including make and model, and any serial numbers there may be. Take pictures of the room from a variety of angles. 

Do this for every room in your home. If you have any expensive items, it is worth getting an appraisal. Attach any receipts you may have to back up the information you have. Don’t forget to go up to the attic and into the basement. You want your list as complete as possible. Attach the correct photos. 

Now comes the important part; storing your inventory. You want it to survive anything that might happen. It is best stored away from your home. One of the safest things you can do is to make sure your inventory is available on the cloud where it is sure to survive.  

Reach Out To Us

Contact Abney Insurance in Winter Garden, FL if you have home insurance needs or questions. 

Congrats on paying off your mortgage! One less bill to worry about, right? But even if you’ve paid off your home loan, you might still wonder whether you need to continue to carry home insurance. Our insurance experts at Abney Insurance in Winter Garden, FL is here to help. 

Home Insurance After Paying Off Mortgage

Florida homeowners insurance is not required by law if you own your home outright and there is no mortgage on the property. However, just because it’s not required doesn’t mean it’s not a good idea.

There are many reasons why you might want to keep carrying your home insurance policy even after your mortgage is paid off. For one thing, home insurance can protect you from unforeseen circumstances such as storms, fires, and theft. If your home is damaged or destroyed, your home insurance policy can help you pay for repairs or replacement costs. Without homeowner’s insurance, you will need to pay for repairs out of your own pocket.

Furthermore, most homeowners associations (HOAs) require members to carry some level of home insurance even if their mortgage has been paid off. So if you’re part of an HOA, check with your HOA board to see what kind of coverage they require.

Contact Us Today

Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to keep carrying home insurance after your mortgage is paid off is up to you. However, we recommend that you at least consider maintaining some coverage for your Winter Garden, FL home. Home insurance can protect you from unexpected events and also may be required by your HOA. If you have any questions about whether or not home insurance is right for you, contact Abney Insurance, and we’ll be happy to help!

At Abney Insurance, serving the greater Winter Garden, FL area, we can help residents purchase a home insurance policy. One of the questions our customers often ask us is how frequently they should review their home insurance policy to ensure it still meets their needs. Here is the answer to that question. 

After Completing a Home Renovation or Remodeling Project

After completing a home renovation or remodeling project, the home’s size, layout, and materials used in your home may change. A home insurance policy helps cover the cost of returning your home to its pre-accident state after an unexpected event occurs. Home renovation or remodeling project costs can change with the value of your home. You will want to bring it back to its pre-accident state, which means you may need more coverage.  

When It Is Time to Renew Your Home Insurance Policy

Additionally, it is highly recommended that you review your home insurance policy at least once a year. Most people think about this when it is time to renew their home insurance policy. This can be a great time to review your policy and ensure it still meets your need while pricing out new policies to ensure you are paying a fair and competitive amount for the policy you currently hold.  

If you have recently completed a home renovation or remodeling project, or if it is time to renew your home insurance policy, Abney Insurance, serving the greater Winter Garden, FL area, can review your home insurance policy to ensure your policy still meets your needs. Call us today to schedule an appointment.